Wiro Niessen new dean and member of the UMCG Board of Directors

On 1 February 2023, Wiro Niessen will be appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Groningen (UG) and a member of the Board of Directors of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG).

Prof. Wiro Niessen (52) will succeed Marian Joëls, who will say farewell to the UMCG as she is approaching pension age. As Dean, Niessen will be responsible for the domain of teaching and research within the Board of Directors.

He is currently Professor of Biomedical Image Analysis and Machine Learning at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, where he leads the Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, as well as holding a position at the Faculty of Applied Sciences of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). By combining image data with other information sources, such as genetic data and clinical data, and by using AI technology, Niessen conducts research into topics including determining diseases better and at an earlier stage and supporting treatment choices. Niessen has been a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) since 2017. He therefore forms part of ‘the conscience of science’, together with the roughly 550 other scholars at the KNAW. All of the KNAW’s approximately 550 members are appointed for life.

Wiro Niessen is looking forward to working in the academic setting of Groningen as from 1 February 2023: ‘Teaching, research, and innovation play a key role in achieving better health during all life phases as well as in making accessible, high quality, and sustainable healthcare a reality. I am looking forward to being able to contribute towards this as Dean of the UMCG. The UMCG and the UG are two fantastic institutions comprising excellent research and teaching and substantial societal impact. I would like to commit to a safe, inclusive environment with top facilities, in which students and researchers can develop and excel, both individually and in teams. In addition, I would like to act as a unifying force by bringing parties together to develop new initiatives that will benefit the sustainable future of health.’

The Supervisory Board of the UMCG and the Board of the University are delighted with the appointment of Niessen. Andrée van Es, chair of the Supervisory Board: ‘His quality of translating fundamental research into clinical applications and his knowledge of the use of big data and artificial intelligence are of particular value for the role that the UMCG will play in the future of healthcare. With his vision, knowledge, and personality, Niessen is an excellent addition to the other members of our Board of Directors. He will also bring a large network with him.’